A Tale of Four Turtles
by LaFlorDelMar
Summary: Complete. When the turtles are left to fend for themselves for a month, things get a bit out of hand and tempers rise. Rated for language. Disclaimer goes here: I don't own, don't sue. Reviews are welcome, flames are a waste of time and energy.
1. Michaelangelo

_The Joke's On You: Michaelangelo_

Michaelangelo turned the volume up on his Discman. Leonardo and Raphael were arguing again, except this time Master Splinter wasn't present to break them up. Oh well. Maybe after they beat the hell out of each other things would get better. For now, the nunchaku-wielding ninja would follow Donatello's lead: hole up in his room and ignore them.

Growling in uncharacteristic annoyance, Michaelangelo turned off his Discman and threw a hardened pizza crust at his door. No matter how hard he tried to drown out the noise, it was of no use. Gathering up a duffel bag filled with the necessary elements required for good practical jokes, he exited his room and headed for the sewer tunnel.

Raphael and Leonardo stopped shouting at one another long enough to notice their brother's blatant exit. "Where ya goin' Mikey?" Raphael yelled out.

"Away from you guys. You're giving me a killer headache, dudes." Michaelangelo grabbed one of the motor-powered skateboard prototypes Donatello was working on.

"Do you have your turtle-com? Or your cell phone?" Leonardo asked.

"I'm not a little kid, Leo. Of course I have them," his brother snapped. He made a hasty retreat, duffel bag and skateboard in tow. He could hear his brothers starting up again, this time fighting about him. He picked up the pace and rode the skateboard prototype to his desired destination. He made a note to tell Donatello that he considered his brother's invention most successful.

Climbing up the ladder to the street, Michaelangelo grinned as he looked up at his target: Channel Six News.

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"Stupid morons," April muttered as she entered the elevator. She pushed the button marked '11' and waited. Her boss, and his boss, were annoyed that she had dared to request almost an entire month off. The fact that she had more than enough vacation hours saved up to take at least eight weeks off should have been reason enough to take a break. But no, of course not!

With a sigh she walked down the hall to the newsroom and entered. She paused just inside the doorway and looked around the brightly lit room. Something seemed off, aside from the fact that she was the first one in today. She shook her head, banishing her weird feelings that all was not as it should be.

She headed for her office and took out her key to unlock it. Upon opening the door a giant rubber snake fell and hung suspended in the doorway. She let out a yelp of surprise and shook her head, pulling the offending toy down. A note was attached to its tail. 'Gotcha' was all it read, written in a vaguely familiar scrawl.

As more people entered their own offices sluggishly shouts and hollers of shock and expletives shook the building. April leaned against her doorframe and watched as people were drenched with water balanced precariously in buckets perched on doorsills. Others dodged miniature firecrackers that were rigged to explode when lights were turned on. One employee, and his office, got hosed down with silly string expelled from a joke fire extinguisher. April couldn't help but laugh at the comical misfortune of her fellow coworkers.

One woman, who happened to have it in for the poor reporter, noticed April's adolescent glee, so she ducked into her office and closed the door tightly. "Somebody got us good," she commented aloud. "Maybe I should have stayed home today…at least I got off easy. Sort of." She glanced around her surroundings, noticing several more rubber snakes placed in locations guaranteed to startle her had she not been paying attention. She walked over to her desk and pulled the chair out.

"Ya sure did babe. You should see what I set up for your boss!" The words were spoken from a voice to the right of her, a voice unexpected that caused her heart to feel as though it should implode. She twisted around to glare at Michaelangelo, the one person…er, turtle…she knew she could usually count on for a laugh. "I've said it once, and I'll say it again: time to switch to decaf, April." She continued to scowl, but squeezed his shoulder.

"Mikey, what are you doing here? How'd you get in? Oh man, if my boss saw you in here…" She shut her mouth abruptly as the doorknob to her office began to turn. She had a feeling her boss was on the other side. April exchanged a glance with the turtle before heading for the door. Michaelangelo was invisible in a flash, as only a true ninja could.

"Who were you talking to, O'Neil?" her boss demanded in greeting as she opened the door only wide enough so that he could see her face.

"Um, no one. I was reading my report out loud to myself. It's how I edit my papers," she replied. He pushed his way through her door and she stepped backward toward her desk, concealing the nunchakus Michaelangelo had left in plain sight. She turned around, Knocking them to the floor behind her as she shuffled through some folders.

"Do you know who, or what, may have sabotaged this place? Look at what happened to me!" her boss shouted as she moved to sit at her desk. He turned his back on her. The words 'Pizza is God' were printed on his shirt in neon orange spray paint.

April bit back a laugh and smoothed her skirt, holding dead still when her hands brushed against what felt like shell. Michaelangelo was hiding under her desk? Well that explained why his weapons hadn't made any noise when they fell. "Figures," she muttered. She noticed her manager frowning at her and she cleared her throat, having the grace to blush.

"I'm afraid I have no idea who would do anything so terrible as to destroy our place of employment. But I wasn't left out." She pointed to several of Mikey's little 'friends.' "Would you like for me to look into it? Was anyone hurt?" Her fingers gripped Michaelangelo's shell tightly beneath the desk.

"No. And I suppose it isn't necessary." He turned to leave, disgruntled, when an indignant 'Hey!' escaped from his employee's lips. "What now?"

"Um, sorry, but I…ah…I just wanted to tell you that I am taking the next three weeks off after all. I have…um, family coming into town all the way from California, and I hardly see them," she lied, squirming in her seat to try and strangle the playful turtle. "But don't worry. I'll have my work submitted before the end of the day. I just wanted to let you know." Her boss nodded, unhappy, and slammed the door closed behind him.

April waited twelve seconds before pushing her chair away and began to untie the knots Michaelangelo had created in her boot laces. He had been trying to lash her to the chair legs. Michaelangelo crawled out from his hiding spot, smiling sheepishly.

"Sorry, babe. It was just too tempting while you were getting grilled by your manager." He patted her shoulder affectionately. "Besides, I had to think of some way to get your attention. You're the best, April. Thanks for covering for me."

The reporter sighed, fixing him with a look she reserved especially for pesky turtles. "If I lose my job over you, you'll never hear the end of it. Understand?" She jabbed a finger into his chest playfully. "Don't make me regret taking time off to hang out with you guys."

"That's why you did it? It's like you read my mind! I came to ask if I could stay with you for a few days. Sewer life can be a serious bummer."

"I can imagine," she said dryly. "Of course you can stay with me. But I do have to do some actual work today. Why don't you take my keys and head over to my apartment? You can put your stuff in the loft."

Michaelangelo caught the keys she tossed to him and picked up his bag and skateboard. "The bare essentials," he announced proudly with a wink. "So when are you going to be home?"

"Probably around five," she replied and smiled. She patted his cheek. "I'm sure you'll find some way to amuse yourself. I just bought a new game system…" she trailed off.

"Cowabunga!" the teen shouted, perking up. He managed to get out of the news room and to April's apartment without anyone taking much notice.

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"Mikey, I'm home!" April shouted as she locked the door behind her. "Never thought I'd shout _that_ out," she murmured and opened her mouth to yell again when she stopped dead in her tracks. What looked to be the beginnings of a good home-cooked meal was on the table. A salad layered with cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, and croutons sat beside a bottle of Ranch dressing and a bread basket filled with freshly sliced baguette. On the stove two pots of something were simmering over low heat. "Mikey?" she called again. He took the stairs leading down from the loft two at a time.

"Oh, hey April. Hope you don't mind, but dinner isn't ready yet. I didn't want pizza, so I decided to cook. Is that okay? It's almost done," he promised, stirring the contents of one pot while taking the other off the stove.

She sat down in the closest chair. "You? Tired of pizza?" She laughed lightly. "I haven't had anyone cook for me in a while."

Michaelangelo prepared two plates and carried them over to April, setting one before her. "Here ya go." He sat across from her. April stared before her. To accompany the salad and bread, the ninja had prepared chicken parmigiana, crisped to near perfection and smothered with mozzarella cheese and marinara sauce over fettuccini noodles.

"This looks good, kid." He watched her take the first bite. Her smile was the epitome of bliss. "This is wonderful. Who taught you to be such a character of culinary skill?"

"Master Splinter." They ate in silence for a few moments. "I'm not all fun and games, ya know." He grimaced.

April went to the refrigerator and returned with a soda and a bottle of water. She handed the soda to her friend. "I have never thought such a thing. But it does help to have a brilliant form of comedic relief such as yourself for a friend. Everone needs to be able to enjoy a good laugh at least once in a while." She paused. "The best laughter is with friends, I think."

Michaelangelo brightened considerably at the notion. "Yeah. The guys should be lucky to have me."

"Speaking of which, how are the others doing? It's been about two weeks since I've gone to visit you guys."

"Splinter went away on a vacation to an abandoned monastery, I think; it's something like that. He left a few days ago, and he said he'll be back in a month." The teenage mutant ninja turtle looked up from his salad, clearly troubled. "It's hell, April. I hate to sound like a whiner, but Leo and Raph keep picking on me. And the worst part is that they're taking turns doing it!"

He paused as April struggled to choke back a giggle. "I'm sorry, Mikey," she gasped as she failed. "It's just the way you said they're taking turns!" She took a sip of water, regaining her composure. "What about Donatello?"

"Eh, Donnie'll say something once in a while, but he doesn't really hang out with us anymore. I'm trying to get everyone to chill out, but I'm failing miserably. Like, I keep getting yelled at." He pouted. "It isn't fair, April. I hate feeling so useless."

April reached across the table and clasped his arm. "As weird as this may sound, maybe you should just let them continue doing whatever it is they're doing."

Michaelangelo looked up. "What are you talking about? I think you've got a few loose screws, babe."

"Mikey, did you ever stop to think that they're acting like that because they're not sure _how_ to act? I'm sure that along the way they'll all realize how silly they're being. It certainly is a new experience, isn't it?"

"What is?" The glum turtle took a bite of chicken.

"Having Splinter away of his own free will. Not kidnapped or missing because of an enemy. I remember when he would be gone without a trace and you guys would immediately jump into action to save him. Now he doesn't need saving. I think you guys need to figure out what to do with yourselves." She ate a slice of bread thoughtfully. "C'mon, when we're done eating, let's go rent some movies."

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"Aw, why not April? This movie is a classic!" Michaelangelo pleaded, holding onto the movie cover tightly. April read the title once more, then shook her head.

"I don't think so. _Attack of the Fifty-Foot Woman_ is not my idea of a good movie. Let's keep moving." They walked over to the section labeled 'Action' and April paused for half a minute before picking one. "Now _this_ is a classic, Mikey."

Michaelangelo sighed and pulled the case out of her hands. He smirked. "Okay, you win, but only because Indiana Jones is super cool, always gets the girl, and conquers over evil."

April laughed. "Admit it, you like Harrison Ford, too."

The ninja sighed, holding onto his own movie as he handed hers back. "You drive a hard bargain as it is, babe. I don't think I should have to do any such thing." They waited in line, which moved rapidly enough. Once done with the rental procedure, they headed back to her apartment.

April grabbed onto her friend's trenchcoat as they walked by a crane machine. "Aw, Mikey, look at how cute they are!" she exclaimed, pointing to an odd assortment of stuffed animals trapped inside the plastic container.

"I'm good at those. I'll get you one," he promised and inserted a quarter into the slot. The music started up and lights began to flash. Michaelangelo watched the crane with solemn concentration. "Raph and Leo tell me that this is a wasted talent, but I think otherwise." April made a small, noncommittal sound in her throat and watched as the turtle won her the little robot-looking dog she had pointed out.

"You're the best!" She grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

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The reporter balanced a bowl of popcorn on the arm of the sofa as she situated the blanket she was sharing with the orange-wearing ninja. Michaelangelo fast-forwarded through the previews and laughed as the opening scene of _Jaws_ commenced.

He put his arm around April, who welcomed the cuddle time, and reached absently for the popcorn bowl. She handed it over wordlessly, relieved that he had rediscovered how to laugh, even though she didn't quite understand what was so humorous about a woman being eaten alive by a man-eating Great White shark.

Near the end of the movie Michaelangelo stretched. "Man, I'm starting to feel like things are going back to normal," he commented. "Isn't that weird? I hate being all freaked out over stuff like that. It sucks." He stole the remote for the television from April. "It's also weird being the one to disappear."

"Well, Splinter will be back soon. And while I wouldn't mind having company while the both of us are on vacation, I think that your brothers would probably start to worry. You're the baby of the group whether you like it or not." She glanced sideways, eye on the remote.

The ninja stuck his tongue out at her. "I'm faster than they are though." He held the remote out of reach as she lunged for it. She sighed in defeat, jabbing him with an elbow.

"I know that. They know that. Good luck getting all of them to agree on it together." They shared a laugh.

"You were right. Laughter is better when it's shared with a friend," Michaelangelo murmured sleepily. They stayed up watching late night television until they could no longer keep their eyes open.

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Three days later April awoke to find herself in bed, confused. The last few days had seemed to blur into one, what with Michaelangelo discovering her espresso machine, resulting in the both of them being wired. When caffeinated, the comical ninja seemed to have a limitless cesspool of things to do.

Rubbing her eyes sleepily, April decided last night must have been the first real sleep she'd had in about four days. The apartment was eerily silent, she noticed absently as she tried to figure out how she got to bed. The last thing she could remember was her beginning to doze off in front of the television as Michaelangelo commented on some actress' wig. She sat up straight. 'Mikey!'

She checked the loft, but there was no sign of him or his belongings. A note was stuck to her refrigerator with a magnet. "I don't know what I'd do without ya babe. Love, Mikey." She laughed as she read it aloud and pulled on the door handle to grab the carton of orange juice. A coiled snake slashed out at her from its place on the shelf. She stifled a surprised scream, and then shook her head. "He'll pay for that one."


	2. Leonardo

_An Unexpected Phone Call: Leonardo_

Leonardo glanced up from the magazine he was skimming as Michaelangelo finally made an appearance in their home after five days. "Welcome back, Mikey," he greeted, noting how much more relaxed his brother seemed to be. "Where have you been?"

"Hey Leo. How's it going?" Michaelangelo asked, flashing a grin. "I was just doing some sightseeing. It was fun."

"I got a call from April. She says that you sabotaged her office," the blue-wearing ninja replied. His brother stopped dead in his tracks.

"Yeah, but she thought it was funny," he said. He wondered why April hadn't told the others where he had been, but he was relieved all the same. Shrugging, he returned Donatello's skateboard to its proper place.

"Well, she wasn't mad, but I don't think you should be doing stuff like that. We have to be extra cautious while sensei is away."

Michaelangelo sighed, but decided to agree with Leonardo, recalling April's suggestion. "Sorry, Leo. I'll try to remember that next time," he said and went off to find Donatello so that he could gush over the super awesome skateboard.

Leonardo tried to go back to reading Donatello's latest issue of _Popular Mechanics_ magazine, but Raphael entered the room, angry and looking for an outlet. Unfortunately he zeroed in on the only other being present. "Leo, come spar with me. You say we need to practice more often, right?" Raphael waited, knowing that his brother would accept the challenge.

They migrated to the training room where Raphael immediately began his assault. Leonardo narrowly missed being impaled upon his brother's sai, drawing his own weapons. He held his own until Raphael began to run out of steam, becoming careless. With a well-timed swipe of his katana, followed by a roundhouse kick, he had his brother disarmed.

Raphael, for his part, attempted to remain calm, but failed when he found one sai and not the other. Leonardo made a quick escape before Raphael became enraged again and went to his room. He sat on his bed, resting his arms on his knees and his head in his hands.

"I can't live like this," he grumbled in despair. "Damn it, this is too much pressure." He laid back, fiddling with his cell phone, and continued his verbal monologue. "I saw Donnie maybe twice since Mikey disappeared and more Raphael than I could stand." Life was getting complicated. What seemed like divine inspiration hit him and he searched his contacts list for the one person he was sure would help. As the phone began to ring, Leonardo crossed his fingers that his call would be answered. No such luck. Well, the answering machine wasn't so bad. He prepared to leave his message.

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Leonardo's voice came through the speaker in an almost hesitant way. "Hey April, it's Leo. Um, sorry to bother you, but I remembered that you said you were off for the next few weeks, so I was wondering if maybe I could stay with you for a few days. Some stuff is going on and, well, um…yeah. Just give me a call on my cell if it's okay." The machine that held the recorded message listed the recipient's options. April erased it and hung up the phone.

She tapped a pen against her notebook. It struck her as odd that Leonardo, her favorite katana-wielding ninja, would ask her permission to visit for a few days, without the others.

Oh well. Stranger things had happened.

She hit the speed dial number for his cellular phone and almost laughed as it began to ring. She had signed them up for a family plan under her name when the turtle-coms had been broken so that they could get in touch with her, or each other, at any time. Unfortunately for her, when Donatello had fixed them he had ruined hers. As a result she was forced to wait until they bought the necessary parts to repair it. So they kept the cell phones. She wasn't completely sure they would give up their phones at any rate; they loved the option of text messaging.

She was brought back to the here and now when Leonardo answered. "Hello? April?"

"Hey, Leo, I got your message. Sounds like fun. When did you want to come over?"

"Would the day after tomorrow be okay? If not I can –"

"Don't be silly," April interrupted. "It's no problem."

"Awesome." The relief was evident in his voice and she resisted the urge to ask if all was well. "Thank you. I'll see you on Wednesday." They exchanged farewells and hung up.

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"Who were you talking to, bro?" Michaelangelo asked as his brother entered the kitchen.

"April. I was asking her if she knew of any places that sell books on meditation," he lied.

"Oh. Plannin' a retreat or something?" Michaelangelo teased. Leonardo's eyes lit up. The perfect excuse!

"Yes. Master Splinter advised me to, but he never specified a time. 'No time like the present,' as they say." Well, it was sort of true. "I'm going to pack some stuff." He paused on his way out of the kitchen. "Are you feeling okay, Mikey?"

"Huh? Yeah, why?"

"You seem more…hyper than usual."

"No prob, dude. I think the rest of you are just bummed out or something." With a shrug, the nunchaku-carrying turtle finished off his slice of pizza. Leonardo continued to his room.

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The blue ninja came by two days later, as promised, with a pillow and a gym bag. He stood patiently before the reporter's door. She opened it and ushered him inside. "Hi. Thanks again for letting me stay here."

"No problem," April replied as she pushed him further into the apartment. "Any trouble with people or anything?"

Leonardo laughed. "Of course not. I'm a ninja."

"How could I forget?" She pulled a frozen pizza out and put it in the preheated oven. "Pepperoni okay?"

"Sure. Where should I put my stuff?"

"Either in the corner, or up in the loft. You have your choice of the sofa bed or the futon upstairs."

"Loft," he opted and disappeared to put down his burdens. They made small talk until the pizza was ready and carried it to the roof of her apartment building via the fire escape. It was a warm night, heat radiating from the busy streets of the Big Apple. Up here the stop-and-go traffic was but a dull roar. Even so they couldn't hear much beyond their chewing.

"Splinter left," Leonardo said quietly after some time.

"Mikey told me when he dropped by my office," April replied as she stretched her legs out before her. "The poor guy could probably use a break from crime fighting. Bet it's different without him around to keep you out of trouble, huh?" The teasing smile on her face faded when she caught sight of her companion's grim expression.

"It's so difficult! I mean, in the past when we were alone it was a necessity. I guess it is now as well, but there's nothing to do. I'm trying to keep us in training mode, but I'm failing. Donnie keeps himself locked in his lab; he only comes out to eat and spar with us once in a while. Mikey doesn't seem to be taking anything seriously. He's constantly goofing off and cracking jokes. Or ignoring us entirely. And Raph…he's so aggressive. It's a lot worse than usual. I'm losing my grip!

"The harder I crack down, the less they listen. We're fighting each other a lot more. I can feel us coming apart at the seams. I don't know how Master Splinter does it. I can't take much more of this." He closed his eyes tightly, squeezing his head between his hands. "Raph says I'm being too hard on everyone, but so is he. And now would be the perfect time for something really bad to happen; while Splinter is away. I just want us to be safe."

Leonardo sounded positively miserable. April leaned against his shoulder, putting an arm around his neck. "Oh, Leo," she sighed. "This may come out cold, but stop worrying about them so much. Spend some time thinking about _you_. You guys are growing up; not much longer before you're not kids anymore." She rested a hand on his knee, looking up at him in an attempt at comfort. "I think that sometimes they need a brother more than they do a leader. They can take care of themselves."

"But what if they don't know what to do? What if something goes wrong? What if they need my help?"

"Leo, did anything go horribly bad while Mikey was away?" The poor turtle shook his head. "Did you need his help?"

"Well, maybe just for a laugh," he said slowly.

"I think that you taking a break will be a good thing. One, you'll be more refreshed…hopefully. Not to mention it's a good reminder to them that you aren't expendable and shouldn't be taken for granted. And you'll go back and see that they survived in your absence." She stood and rached her hand down. "You all have a strong bond, and it will prevail. You've made it through worse." He accepted her hand gratefully.

They climbed inside and April turned to face Leonardo. "Oh, and maybe you should lighten up on Mikey. Maybe he's just trying to break the tension by being stupid, huh?" She laughed at his baffled expression and hugged him. "Never forget that we all love you. Good night."

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Two days of wasted time later April dragged the reluctant ninja to an antique car show, hoping to divert his attention from the stress that plagued his mind. She was glad to have stored the fact that he had recently become interested in cars in her memory. It seemed to be working wonders, considering the fact that they had been there nearly four hours.

A fact April would not have been able to tolerate had it not been for how excited Leonardo seemed. Standing by a concession stand, the reporter watched the turtle exclaim over a green '68 Pontiac GTO, chatting animatedly with the owner about the engine. While her friend's reenergized spirit thrilled her to no end, she was beginning to hope that he would tire of this place.

She chewed on her straw and checked her watch. Leonardo joined her several minutes later and peered at her face in confusion. She smiled at him, joy radiating from her.

"I thought you hate cars," he mused as she linked their arms together lazily.

She laughed. "Don't get me wrong, I do. But it makes me happy to see you back to normal, even if it might only be for a little while," she confessed. Her laughter continued as his jaw went slack in surprise. She was right. He was having a good time!

"April, thank you. For everything," he said quietly, smiling down at her.

"Of course, my friend. But if you want to prove it, then take me home! I'm tired." They walked back. "Leo, if you ever need anything, I'm here. I'd do anything for you." She squeezed his arm. "And so would they."

He nodded, knowing whom she was referring to by 'they.' "Well, I'll leave tomorrow morning. I kinda miss the guys and I want to see how they are."

"All right. You're welcome any time, Leo. I mean it."

"You're the best."

She patted his shell. "I know."

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"I'm home," Leonardo called out. Donatello and Raphael shouted greetings from their respective rooms. He surveyed the old subway station they called home. Everything was so familiar. It was a real comfort. He went to find Michaelangelo. The wanted turtle was in the kitchen, as predicted, reading a comic book and snacking on munchies. Leonardo dropped into the chair beside him. "Hey, Mikey."

"Hey, bro. Have fun?"

"Yeah. Um, I wanted to apologize to you."

Michaelangelo finally looked up from his comic book. "Why?"

"I haven't meant to be such a hard ass. I'm just worried. I don't want anything bad to happen, ya know? I didn't mean what I said…about you being useless and all."

"Aw, I already knew that, dude. I'm just glad you finally came to your senses. Pork rind?" He held the bag out, turning a page in his comic book as his attention was diverted once again to the drawn characters.

"Pork rind." The brothers smiled at one another as Leonardo reached his hand into the bag.


	3. Raphael

_Not So Hidden Weakness: Raphael_

April was awakened by sharp, insistent knocking. A glance at the clock revealed that it was either really early or really late. She groaned and pulled on a robe as she moved clumsily towards the door. "This better be important!" she shouted grumpily. The knocking became louder and her unexpected visitor began to shout out her name.

She wrenched the door open after unlocking the deadbolt and chain. "Come in, quickly. You probably woke up the whole damn building, if not the dead," she scolded, moving aside to let the hunched figure enter. She yawned and smiled tiredly. "Raphael," she greeted as he removed his trenchcoat and fedora. She brought her hand up and smacked him in the back of his head. "What were you thinking?"

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" he demanded as he rubbed his head.

"For being so loud. Especially at three in the morning." She yawned again and shook her head. "Go to bed. We'll talk when the sun is actually up." April headed for her room. "Take the loft, the bed is made."

"April?" Raphael called after her. She turned slightly, an indication that she was listening. "Thanks."

"Good night, Raph."

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She was sitting at the kitchen table, reading her horoscope when he finally trudged down the stairs at a quarter past two. He rubbed his eyes blearily and grunted a "good morning" in her general direction.

"Coffee?" she offered as she lifted up a French press. He nodded and sat before her as she poured him a cup. She tapped his bowed head with her knuckles lightly. "Wake up, sleepyhead." He shrugged in response as he downed some of the black coffee.

"Sorry for just showing up last night, but I didn't know where else to go," he said in lieu of an apology. She waved her hand in dismissal.

"No harm done, except for irate neighbors, but I don't like them anyway. You weren't seen, were you? And don't pull the whole 'of course not, I'm a ninja' thing."

"No, April, I wasn't seen. Besides, who would believe in a giant turtle?" he snapped.

"Meh. Sarcasm: one more service you offer," she muttered, thinking back to the T-shirt she had seen that read that almost exact same slogan. "And should think about discontinuing," she added under her breath. Now was not the time to be petty though. Obviously Raphael was upset, and she needed to find out what was going on before he did something stupid. "How are things going?" she asked cautiously.

"I dunno, April." Raphael ground his teeth together, unsure of whether or not he should confide in her. Her hand on his arm both comforted and assured him that it was okay to trust, at least for now. "With Splinter gone, I feel like I'm going to go insane. He would help me try to keep my anger in check, keep me calm. Now I have to try to do it on my own, which I'm obviously not good at, and it's not working. I keep getting so pissed off and lashing out at everyone for the dumbest reasons. The guys hate me now."

April tilted her head to one side and stood. "I'm not sure if I follow. Half-and-half?"

"Sure."

She retrieved it and placed it before him. "Care to explain?" she questioned as she positioned herself behind him. He groaned as she began to massage his shoulders.

"It's so stupid. I was annoyed and needed to vent, so Donnie and Mikey decided to gang up on me so I could let off a little steam. Mikey started to get the upper hand and Leonardo comes strolling in and giving his own personal review."

_The night before:_

"_Good job, Michaelangelo. But you could have knocked him down when he did that," Leonardo pointed out. "Donnie, your leg should be angled maybe ten degrees higher for that kick." He paused in his commentary. Donatello and Michaelangelo were watching their angry brother warily, who looked like he wanted to pummel Leonardo six feet into the ground._

"_And what about me, Leo? What should I improve on, eh?" Raphael demanded, stalking closer._

"_Your anger, for one. You're all over the place, Raph. You won't beat them if you can't focus."_

"_Leo, the point wasn't actually to train," Donatello spoke up._

"_Yeah. Raph just needed to blow off some steam and, like, I don't think it's a good idea to critique us if we aren't being serious. It's a bummer, dude. Takes all the fun out of it," Michaelangelo added._

_Leonardo sighed. "But when we're goofing off is the best time to be judged."_

"_Look, nobody asked you for your opinion, okay? So just shut your noise hole and back off!" Raphael shouted, pushing his brother. Michaelangelo stepped between the two of them._

"_Dudes, dudes! Chill out! It's nothing a good slice of pizza can't fix!" The brothers ignored his attempts at settling the peace, drawing their weapons. They lunged at one another, Michaelangelo stuck between them. He ducked, waiting for the inevitable impact, but it never came. Donatello had intervened, blocking both sai and katana with is bo staff._

"_Get a grip, guys. Now is not the best time for a turtle tantrum. If you're going to act like immature little kids, make sure no one else is liable to get hurt." He helped the orange ninja up from his crouched position. "C'mon, _It Came From The Sewer_ is gonna start soon. You okay, Mikey?"_

"_Yeah. Let's beat it." They exited the room, leaving Raphael and Leonardo alone._

"_Damn! You did it again!" Raphael yelled. "You made me look like the psycho idiot!"_

"_I did no such thing! You did that on your own. We're all getting sick of your stupid temper, Raphael."_

"_Well, then I'll just take my temper and get the hell out of here!" He grabbed his coat and hat and left the training room._

"_Where ya goin' Raph? It's two in the AM!" Donatello called._

"_Bite me!" was the angry reply._

April shook her head. "Well, you were right. It is stupid. But you know Leo didn't mean to upset you, right?" She received only stony silence. "Believe it or not, I think it's just as hard on them as it is on you without Splinter around. It's a difficult time for all of you. And they don't hate you."

"You're right, I know. But we've always been a team, y'know? Now we're barely speaking. Things are getting a little better since Mikey went who knows where and Leo did that retreat thing, but they still grate on my nerves. Leo doesn't pick on Mikey as much, but he's still annoying. And Mikey is…Mikey. Donnie tries to keep things settled, or at least he used to, but I think he gave up. He's always in that stupid lab now." Raphael allowed his head to fall forward and April used her skilled hands on his neck. "It's just…it sucks! That feels good though."

April laughed. "It's supposed to. Let's take a walk around Central Park or something. I need to get out of this apartment." She left to find clothes and returned wearing jeans and a long-sleeved button-down men's shirt. She watched as Raphael donned his trench and hat and smiled. "I don't think I'll ever get tired of the Humphrey Bogart look."

"Good to know," he immediately replied. She smacked his arm lightly and led the way. Looking outside, Raphael pulled on her hand, stopping her in mid-step. "Wait, I can't go out in broad daylight."

April sighed. "So we should wait until the cover of darkness?"

"Preferably." She let him back into the apartment.

"Well, you stay here then. I need to go grocery shopping."

Raphael paced around the living room before settling in front of the television. "Women," he muttered, watching cartoons.

TMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNT

April returned twenty minutes before sunset, arms full of bags. "Hey, could you shut the door for me?" she asked.

The red ninja jumped up and did a double take at all the packages she somehow was able to juggle in her arms. "How'd you get it open in the first place? Telekinesis?" He took two bags from her as he shut the door.

"Hardy-har-har, Raph."

"I thought you said you were just going grocery shopping."

"I got sidetracked…but you have to forgive me 'cause some of this stuff is for you." She set everything on the table and began to rummage through the different bags. "Let's see…Mikey, Leo, Donnie…oh, here we go." She handed a large bag and a square box to him. He held it, staring at her uncertainly. She began to put the few grocery items she had actually bought away. "Well, don't just stand there. Go ahead and open them. They're not going to bite you."

"I know that. Damn." He opened the square box to reveal a spiffy red fedora, Indiana Jones style. He tried it on, happier than he showed that it fit beautifully. The bag contained a second, thinner and more rectangular box. It held a black leather trenchcoat. He pulled it out carefully, shaking it from its folds. Three-quarter length with two side pockets, and more than enough hidden pockets on the inside, he discovered after a quick investigation. He pulled the jacket over his shell, flexing and stretching his arms to see how it moved with his body. Another perfect fit. "April…" He trailed off, unsure of what to say.

She turned around and grinned, clasping her hands behind her back. "Raph, you look great!" If turtles could blush he would have been an entirely different shade of green. "You about ready for that walk now? I think it's dark enough out."

"Yeah. I gotta take this stuff out for a field test," he replied, pulling the hat down so that it hid his eyes.

"Are they comfortable?" she asked, a trace of doubt still lingering over whether he actually liked his gifts or not.

"Definitely. Now let's go already." He pulled her along and they rode the elevator down to the ground floor.

Central park, when they arrived, seemed eerily sparse of people, not that either particularly minded. "So," April began, "how are they working out?" He smirked and held her hand in his.

"They're great. Seriously." They walked through the grass that was dimly lit by gas lamps. "Man, the others would be making so much fun of me right now." April raised an eyebrow, confused. He held their hands up. "This, I mean. I'm not exactly Mr. Touchy-feely nice guy, ya know."

April nodded. "True. But everyone is entitled to be mushy once in a while." She jabbed her friend with an elbow. "You miss them. Even though they're irritating you."

"Yeah. I just don't get them."

"What you need to learn is that none of you handle things the same way." She grasped his hand tighter. "Leo tries to better himself so that he can be there for everyone. He sees himself as the foundation. I think you guys are the most important things in his life, and it would kill him if anything were to happen.

"Donnie buries himself in his work, trying to invent things to make life easier for you guys. Logic is his strong suit. And while he is well acquainted with his emotions, I don't think he knows what do with them sometimes.

"And Mikey…he tries to lighten things up. He has a serious side, but if everyone can still laugh, it's not as bad as everyone thinks. There's still hope. Besides, aside from video games being a great distraction, they help improve hand-eye coordination as well."

It was silent as the ninja turtle let her words soak in. "What about me?"

"You?" April glanced up at him. "You like to show everyone that you aren't afraid of anything, even though that isn't true. The great Raphael-san puts himself in dangerous situations to prove his worth. Which sometimes backfires."

"Hey!" he exclaimed indignantly.

"It's true! But that's why I love you." She glared at him as he stopped in his tracks, yanking her backward. "Are you purposely trying to dislocate my shoulder?" she demanded.

"Sorry," he mumbled before pulling her to him and hugging her tightly. "It's just been a while since anyone has said the 'L' word to me."

"Aw, poor Raph," she replied, but hugged him back. "You're going to be okay. I promise."

"You better be right, Miss O'Neil." They continued their stroll. "Maybe we should head back now, huh?"

"Probably. Central Park isn't the best place to be at night…Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're talking to a freaking _ninja_ and you say it's not safe to be out at night? C'mon! How many times have we saved you?"

"All right, all right!" She threw her hands in the air. "I'm entitled to be stupid sometimes."

"Fair enough." They started their way back, deciding to hail a taxi cab. In front of the apartment building Raphael paused. "We love you too…just so you know. If you ever wondered or something," he admitted carefully. She hugged him again.

"It's good to hear that."

TMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNTMNT

Raphael stayed with April for three more days, hoping to figure out what the root to his seemingly endless anxiety was. Ironically enough the sudden realization dawned upon him when he had given up his mental quest. At the time he was sitting on April's bed watching trashy soap operas.

He bowed his head as everything locked together in a riptide of psychological anguish.

Splinter would eventually have to leave the turtles when it was time to depart from the physical world and ascend to the astral plane. Raphael uttered an uncharacteristic moan; he didn't want to be separated from his brothers as he was now. Not like this in a flurry of confusion, anger and regret. It would be too painful having no one but himself to rely on.

The normally stoic turtle let another groan escape from behind sealed lips as tears unbidden trickled hesitantly down his face in a rare show of true sorrow. Why did always push them away? Haunting images leapt to his mind, unwelcome memories of every time he had hurt one of the others. Why did he have to be so callous and fight his demons on his own? Why was he always so angry? He could feel the rage building deep inside him.

Raphael curled on his side, folding his limbs into the fetal position so many humans used as an instinctive defense mechanism. Why was he so _pathetic_? He closed his hands over his head as sobs wracked his body.

April entered her bedroom quietly, having returned from a coffee shop. She had heard muffled cries upon entry to her apartment, but hadn't called out for fear that she would cause the tough ninja to flee. She removed her shoes and stretched out beside Raphael, facing him. She touched a tear, followed the trail left in its wake down his jaw line.

He blinked, opening his eyes to find the reporter before him. He was surprised that he hadn't heard her and cursed himself for being so lax in his awareness, and moved a hand in an attempt to wipe the saline drops away; a gesture which held the potential to be almost symbolic of him erasing his ability to feel. April, however, did not allow such a thing to occur. She pinned his arms down by his sides, hugging him with a vice-like grip as she rested her head in the curve where his neck joined shoulder.

"This type of crying isn't a weakness. It's more of a release," she whispered to him. "It's okay to be vulnerable once in a while. You _are_ strong, Raphael. Don't think anything otherwise." She smiled when she felt him lean his head against hers.

"I hate being so pathetic," he growled, but nevertheless timid arms wrapped around her form loosely, apprehensively, then tightened when she made no move to resist. "I can't lose everyone. I'm not sure I can survive on my own." His voice was rough as he admitted the fear.

April's inner turtle intuition seemed to know what he was referring to. "You won't," she soothed, detangling herself from his arms. She sat up and cradled his head and shoulders in her arms as she had so long ago when he had been beaten nearly to death. "Not them, and certainly not me. They all love you, and I love you, babe. Unfortunately you're stuck with us. You'll only be alone if it is what you desire."

She looked down at Raphael, who was regaining composure. His embarrassed look had her raising an eyebrow. "Oh, what the hell," he said and settled into her embrace once again. "I guess I can afford to be pampered right now." He cracked the first smile she had seen from him in what felt like forever and a half.


	4. Donatello

_'Cause I'm Losing My Mind: Donatello_

Donatello struggled to ignore the sounds of his newly returned brother taunting Michaelangelo yet again. Never mind the fact that Raphael was not being cruel as usual, and that Mikey didn't seem to be taking offense to his words. It was exasperating no matter how he looked at it. He attempted to shift all of his focus onto the computer he was rebuilding from scratch. The task of blocking out all obnoxious distractions was nowhere near being successful when Raphael's voice wafted under his door.

"C'mon, Mikey! I _know_ you're not that much of a wimp!" The sai-carrying turtle's mocking cut its way into Donatello's silent mantra to ignore everything. The science-loving ninja slammed his door open and stalked over to Raphael.

"Back off now," he commanded through gritted teeth. Michaelangelo and Raphael stared at their brother in genuine confusion. "I have had enough of everyone always picking on him. Find someone else to bully around, Raph."

Raphael glared at Donatello, struggling to keep his flaring temper at bay. "I don't always pick on him. And he isn't a little kid. If he really wanted to he could probably do something about me teasing him." Raphael shrugged. "And if you actually cared what I say to him, then you would be out here with us instead of locked in your room playing Dr. Science all the time."

Michaelangelo attempted to interrupt the brewing confrontation. "Hey. C'mon guys, lighten up. I know Raph's a jerk…kinda hard to miss, ya know?" Raphael took a swing at his head, but cracked a smile as his brother blocked. "See? He's perfectly harmless!"

Donatello stepped away and headed for the ladder leading up to the sewers. He grabbed one of the perfected (and newly dubbed) Prodigious Turtle Boards; the others simply referred to the motor-powered skateboards as t-boards. He narrowly missed a collision with Leonardo once in the sewer mainstream.

"Where ya goin' Donnie?"

"Out." Donatello continued walking, leaving a baffled ninja to stare after his retreating form. He was almost to the crossroads when Michaelangelo caught up to him. "What do you want?" he demanded coldly and immediately regretted his harsh tone when he saw the pained look on Mikey's face. "Sorry."

"I was just worried about ya dude. Raph doesn't mean it. You know how he is. He'll be better when Sensei comes back. Thanks for sticking up for me though." Michaelangelo hugged his brother in the most masculine yet caring way he could manage.

"Yeah, of course. I guess I just need to get out for a bit. Staying inside all the time makes me feel kinda crazy."

"I thought that was caused by a birth defect," Michaelangelo teased. Donatello rolled his eyes.

"Clever. Eh, maybe I'll go visit April or search for Casey. I dunno."

"Well, April's off for the next few days, I think. She's good to talk to when she isn't all about the news reports." Michaelangelo shrugged.

"True. Well, I'll be back sometime in the near future." He set his skateboard down. "And start sticking up for yourself some. We all know you're faster than us, so if you piss 'em off you can always run." The turtle adjusted his purple bandana and was gone.

Mikey sighed. "Be safe Donnie. You better come back."

Donatello found the exit up to April's street after ten minutes of riding the t-board. "A new record," he announced proudly to the slimy mold on the wall. He climbed up to her apartment and entered through the kitchen window via the fire escape. He shook his head as he muttered, "She really needs to tighten up on security."

April let out a shriek as she came down the stairs to find someone wearing a floor-length tan trenchcoat standing in her kitchen. Donatello whipped around quickly. "April, it's me."

"Donnie." She dropped her arm to her side, draping the nunchaku she had been ready to throw at his head over the banister. Michaelangelo had left it under the futon. "Nice of you to drop in," she said sarcastically as she tried to calm her speedy pulse.

"You need to think about being more cautious," he commented, gesturing to the open window.

"Perhaps, but hopefully I won't be here much longer."

'You're leaving?" Donatello felt his stomach do a sickening flip. She patted his shoulder as she passed him on her way to the refrigerator.

"Yes, but don't look so alarmed! It's only a few blocks away. Townhouses seem to be more convenient for unexpected guests; a bit roomier." She poured herself a freshly brewed cup of iced tea. "So to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I just needed to get out. I've been spending too much time in my lab." He noted her weary smile. "Do you want me to go? You look exhausted."

"No. I've just had a rough couple of days. Lucky for you I stocked up on my frozen pizza supply." They sat down at the table. "So I hear you're working on a super computer or something."

Donatello smiled faintly. "Yeah, it's not anything too special. I'm just trying to make one that's faster with more hard drive space. Have you picked out a house yet?"

April nodded. "Yeah. We're sorting out the details next Friday. It has three bedrooms, a loft, kitchen, dining room, living room…and a huge basement with a smaller adjoining room. Here, let me get the floorplan." She retrieved it from her purse and laid it before him.

"I think I'll convert the smaller room to another bedroom. Much more space than I'm used to having. You guys can move some stuff into the basement for training or whatever. And you'll each have a room, although you'll have to sort out who sleeps where."

"You'll do that for us?" Donatello stared at her in bemusement.

"What else would I do with so much space? I figure all of you should have somewhere safe to escape to when needed and I…I get lonely sometimes." Her eyes followed the turtle as he pulled out her checkerboard and set it up.

"Smoke before fire," he commented as he turned the board so that the black pieces faced her. Three moves later the ninja broke the silence. "We really appreciate everything you do for us. Seriously. It's a real comfort to know that we have a second home. Especially right now."

April moved a checker piece thoughtfully. "Don't be silly. You guys always welcome me when I drop by uninvited. You're my best friends."

Donatello caught her eye. "Do you still have that farm house that we went to forever and a half ago?" His companion nodded in affirmation. "Do you think you could drive me out there and pick me up in three or four days? I know it's a lot to ask."

"Would you mind having some company? You're not the only one that needs a vacation."

"Sure. Besides, you own it. I think it would be almost 'the more the merrier,' but I'd rather not be around the others." He studied the board. "King me." She did so.

"Two conditions: you inform them that you're going out of town, and you keep the townhouse a secret." April grinned suddenly, making a seven-moved jump that reduced her component to three pieces. He could beat her, he saw, but decided to let her win just this once.

"I give up. You win." Donatello pulled out his turtle com and glanced at April's cell phone disdainfully. "What I wouldn't give to be able to fix your com."

"Tell me about it. They're pretty nifty and so much less expensive." April sighed. "You're going to fix it, right?"

"Eventually. I have to get better equipment. Aside from that, Raph loves having the ability to insult people from miles away." April laughed as he paged Michaelangelo.

"Hey Mikey, I'm going out of town for a few days." He tried to angle the com so that Michaelangelo couldn't see where he was.

"Everything okay, bro? You're not, like, freakin' out or anything, right?" April clapped a hand over her mouth to keep from snickering at his tone. Donatello shot her a warning glance.

"Nothing's wrong, I just need to think. And you guys all disappeared. It's my turn."

"We're just worried about you. And Raph says he's sorry for always being a stubborn jackass and picking on his innocent little brother and always making you mad and he loves you with all his little heart and so—"

"I ought to pummel you!" Raphael shouted in the background as he threw something at his brother's head, but Donatello couldn't tell what the object was.

"Heh, my bad. But yeah. No harm, no foul, and all that. We'll see ya later." They disconnected.

"Happy now?" Donatello asked as April let her amusement be known verbally. She hit his shell lightly.

"Chill out. That's why you came here, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so." He glanced at her as she put a hand on the back of his neck. "I'm just tired."

"Take a nap then."

"Sounds good."

He awoke groggily after a six-hour siesta and attempted to recall how he came to be in April's apartment. He succeeded. "Oh. Damn," he muttered and made his way downstairs. He spied a suitcase and a duffel bag by the front door and found April in her bedroom. She had the contents of her purse spilled out across her bed, double checking that she had everything. "I guess we're leaving in the morning?" he asked with arms crossed, leaning against the door frame.

"Are you kidding? We're out of here tonight. There's no way I want to deal with weekend traffic. Besides…I need a _real_ vacation, and soon." Though her voice was cheerful, Donatello caught a slightly bitter undertone.

"I thought you were planning on taking a few days off last week."

"Well, I've technically been off for the past three weeks, but it didn't quite work out. I had to pretend to investigate Mikey's handiwork at the office, then they asked me to check out an antique car show for an editorial _and_ start an article about night life in Central Park." Not completely untrue, she decided as Donatello frowned in thought. She shoved everything back in her purse and slung it over her shoulder. "Ready to get out of here?"

"Definitely."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The ride was uneventful. The occupants of the news van let out a collective sigh of relief at the sight of the farm house Casey Jones had so eloquently described as 'the farm that time forgot.'

Donatello grabbed April's suitcase as she juggled keys, purse and duffel bag. She thanked him as she unlocked the door. "Ah, home away from home," she murmured and deposited her purse in the left bedroom. Donatello set her suitcase beside it and followed the reporter to the kitchen.

She hefted the duffel bag onto the table and unzipped it, pulling out a bottle of sweet-tasting wine. Reaching in a second time produced two plastic wineglasses. She poured them each a glass after uncorking the bottle and pushed one across the table to her companion.

"Here's to vacationing on the farm that time forgot," she proposed as a toast and held her glass out. Donatello knocked his glass against hers lightly. She gulped the liquid down quickly, tilting her head back. The turtle watched the undulations of her throat and looked at his own wine cautiously.

"Are you sure I can drink this?"

April appraised him in a clinical manner as she replenished her wine supply. "You're partly human," she said at last. "You'll probably be affected the same as me: inevitable stupidity and you'll think you finally understand how the world works. If anything bad happens to you I'll call someone immediately. I think you'll be okay, Donnie. Let loose, huh?" She grabbed the bottle and a bag of M&Ms and led him to the front porch.

They got situated on the cushioned bench swing hanging from the rafters and Donatello took his first experimental sip of wine. He found the flavor to his liking and drained the glass, holding it out silently for a refill. "Thanks for bringing me here," he said as April savored the taste of alcoholic goodness and topped him off.

"But of course," she replied. "I'm glad to see you. I guess you're stressed about Splinter being gone, huh?"

"How'd you know?" It was quiet as they began to rock gently. After a few moments he sipped at his second glass and waited patiently for her explanation.

Her head tilted to one side as she smiled. "Why else would you come to visit me all by your lonesome? You guys have always visited in pairs at least. Also, Mikey let it slip that Splinter was away and everyone has been a bit uptight." They lapsed back into silence as the nightlife provided an ample soundtrack.

Once April had finished off the last of the wine, she left to retrieve a bag of Doritos and soda. She tossed the bag of chips to Donatello. He caught it with slight difficulty. He supposed the alcohol was beginning to take effect. Two glasses of wine had given him a fuzzy feeling on the inside, which was not unpleasant, but he preferred to keep his wits about him. He opened the bag of Doritos and balanced it on his lap, enjoying the taste of "Spicy Nacho".

He decided the alcohol was also affecting April when she fell off of the porch swing, the result of trying to reach the cans of soda she had placed by her feet. Giggling, she held a can up to the turtle. As he accepted her offering, something in his mind clicked. "You know, Leo went to a car show last week." He paused, taking a good-sized gulp of the bubbly liquid. "Did you see him there?"

"Donnie, you're supposed to _sip_ it, not chug it," she scolded sweetly as she did the same. "I have a confession to make, I suppose."

He turned his head to look at her. "And that would be…"

"Well, for one thing I'm quite tipsy." She swallowed the rest of the soda still lingering in her glass and accepted the turtle's hand so that she could rejoin him on the swing. "And for a second thing, the reason I haven't had a great vacation is because your brothers have all come to me with their problems…separately…and I've been trying to be of some comfort so that you don't kill each other before Splinter returns."

Donatello experienced a bout of jealousy that came upon him unexpectedly. "So the only reason you're being nice is to keep me sane? Do you care about me at all?" he demanded, his tone hurt.

April rested her head on his knee. "You can be really stupid sometimes. No offense," she added quickly. "Of course I care about you. I wouldn't have brought you out here if I was only trying to get you to deal with your problems and leave me alone."

"I'm sorry, April. I didn't mean to accuse you of being insensitive. I'm just running out of ideas of ways to distract myself from the drama," he said and shook his head. "I'm starting to get a slight headache. I didn't think wine would be so strong. I only had two glasses!"

"This stuff is imported from Italy, dude, and it was way expensive. It better be potent for what I paid," she grumbled. "Besides, you've never had alcohol before. Now I feel like a bad influence."

He grinned at her. "You? Never."

She sat up and poked him in the arm. "Ha ha. I just thought it might help you relax enough to talk openly."

"It did help me relax. Thank you." He offered her his hand as he stood up. "Maybe I'll confide in you later. I have to collect my thoughts. Where can I sleep?"

She led him inside and opened the door to a guest room. "My neighbor comes over once a week to air the rooms out and do some general maintenance, so the sheets are clean. There are extra pillows in the closet." She gave him a hug and a kiss on one cheek. She smelled faintly of citrus and it made Donatello smile. "Good night."

"Good night."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

April stretched languidly on the porch swing as she watched the sun make its appearance over the top of the barn roof. It was a beautiful morning and she felt a slight pang of regret that she hardly ever had the chance to witness nature in this way.

Donatello cleared his voice from behind her, ruining the peaceful scene by accidentally causing her to let out a shriek. Luckily she didn't spill her coffee. "My bad," he said sheepishly, placing a hand behind his head. She glared at him halfheartedly before pulling on his belt so that he had no choice but to sit beside her. "Morning."

"Morning yourself. Have you been having a good time?"

"Yeah. I can hardly believe that we've been here three days already. I needed this."

"You and me both." She leaned against his shoulder. "You're not mad about me spending time with the others, are you?" She broached the subject that had not been spoken of since their first night.

It was quiet as he contemplated her question. "No," he said finally. "I was a bit jealous, I'll admit. But you don't belong to any of us so it wouldn't be fair of me to be angry at you. Besides, one would think you were a Zen master or something, the way you managed to calm us all down." They shared a good-natured laugh at the thought.

"I'm glad. It was nice spending alone time with each of you. That's hardly ever happened before." She glanced over at her companion. "Splinter should be coming back day after tomorrow, if I know my dates. Think you can last until then?"

He smirked and ruffled her hair. "Of course. I'm a ninja." They laughed again.

"I think we should do this more often. You guys hanging out with me alone," she mused quietly.

"Yeah." He put an arm around her as they watched the air seemingly come alive with insects awakened by the morning heat. "I think it's safe to assume we'd all like that." They exchanged a glance.

"Are you sure you're okay though?"

"No. I need more personal space. I think this is one of the first times we have gone away from each other without it being necessary because of a mission."

"I don't think it's healthy to be around people all the time," she mused. "I'm not a psychiatrist or anything, but I think it's important for you to be able to get away for some peace and quiet."

"I've broached the subject with Master Splinter before, and the others as well," he confessed. "I mean, Raph goes out all the time in the city alone, and Leo and Mikey have done it before too. For some reason, I'm the only one that hasn't left until now. They seem to think that the only interests I have are reading, training and inventing things." The turtle sighed and rubbed his head.

"Have you thought about building a moped for yourself?" April asked and he turned his head to give her a confused stare. "You should think about it. One that can handle going over sixty miles an hour and can hold a duffel bag or suitcase without a problem. What do you think?"

"Whatever for?"

She reached into her front pocket and pulled out a key attached to a multi-tool keychain. "This is for you." He hesitated to reach for it and she shoved it into his hand, curling his fingers around it. "It's a spare key to the farmhouse. If you ever need a place to go, feel free to use it."

"April, I –" he began to protest, but she laid a finger against his mouth.

"There are several conditions. One, you call me and let me know that you're leaving. I won't tell the others where you're going, but I think it's important for someone to know where you are. Two, you have to call my neighbor and let him know that he doesn't need to come out here. Three, clean up after yourself and just do some general maintenance." She paused to look at him. "Okay?"

He nodded, not trusting his voice. "How can I ever thank me enough?" She grinned.

"You can start by making me breakfast."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After the dishes were washed, dried and put in their proper places, Donatello glanced at the clock and sighed. "I guess it's time, isn't it?"

"Yeah." April unfolded herself from her curled position on an overstuffed armchair. "Time to go back."

"I've learned at least one lesson from this experience," Donatello announced as they situated themselves in the van.

"And that is?" The reporter dreaded asking the question, but the endless curiosity made her do it.

"The easiest way to your heart is through your stomach," he teased. She reached out to smack him as she started the van.

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"Long time, no see," Leonardo commented as his brother lurched wearily into their den. "Have fun while you were out of town?"

"Definitely," he replied. "How have things been?"

"The usual. Not much to report. We dealt with a mugging, but that's about the only exciting thing that's happened. It's a wonder we haven't gone insane with boredom yet."

Donatello laughed and patted his brother's shell as he went in search of Raphael. He stopped to greet Michaelangelo during his quest and quickly attempted an escape, as said brother was hyped up on caffeine and sugar.

Raphael was in the training room, taking his pent-up energy out on a stuffed doll that Donatello felt sorry for. "Hey," he said. Raphael paused and looked over at the doorway.

"Hey yourself."

"My bad about what happened before," Donatello began, but Raphael threw a wooden sai his way; an effective, if eccentric, way to get the nerd to shut up.

"Enough already. Sheesh. You're forgiven. Now get over here so I can kick your ass in a round of sparring," Raphael said. Donatello grinned and did as he was told.

It seemed things were finally going back to normal.

* * *

_If you couldn't tell, I have reposted this chapter. I reread it and decided it just had to go. Hope y'all don't mind..._

_I'd like to make a special 'Thank you' to those that offered words of support; you guys are one of the only reasons I kept trying at this, the others being it was something trying madly to escape my mind and be put on one form of paper or another, and I got tired of attempting to keep it locked up. _


	5. Splinter

Master Splinter arrived home to find his sons crowded around the television watching April O'Neil give her evening news report. The elderly rat retired to his rooms to put his bags away, waiting to announce his presence until the news went to a commercial break.

He returned to find them arguing over where to order pizza from, what toppings to get and whose turn it was to place the call. Master Splinter was on the verge of giving a sharp whistle to silence them, but paused when Donatello shouted for everyone to shut up.

"Guys, now that we have an Internet cable running down here, we can order our food online. Nobody has to call," he said when he had the others' attention. Michaelangelo elbowed his brother in the ribs playfully.

"Mr. Technology to the rescue again."

It was peaceful.

Until they started a debate on who should get to use the computer. They all wanted a turn.

Master Splinter whistled then, and followed the sound with a sharp clap. "Do proper ninjas fight amongst themselves over something as trivial as pizza?" he scolded gently.

The turtles' eyes widened with delight to find their sensei before them. They knelt down and bowed their heads. "Welcome home, Master Splinter," they said in unison. "We missed you," Leonardo added and smacked Raphael in the head when he heard the red ninja whisper "suck-up" under his breath.

"I have missed you, my sons," the rat replied and gave them a fond smile. "I see that you survived without me. Everything seems to be in order."

The brothers exchanged glances. Donatello had been the first to confess that he had been to see April during his absence and the others had quickly followed suit. They had agreed not to tell Master Splinter about their troubles.

"Yeah, we were just fine," Michaelangelo said. "Um, is there anything in particular that you want on your pizza, Master?"

Their sensei sighed and shook his head. Some things never changed. "Olives."

The turtles gathered around their 'dining room' table, awaiting the gifts their Master had promised they could open after dinner.

"You didn't have to get us anything," Raphael said as soon as the rat entered the room with four bags in his hands. "I mean, this vacation was supposed to be for you, not us."

"Do not protest, just enjoy," Master Splinter replied and handed out the bags. "It was difficult enough to figure out what to get for all of you without hearing such protestations." The turtles shrugged and pulled their presents from the bags.

Raphael received an umbrella, the handle designed to look like a Samurai sword. It came complete with a nylon "scabbard" and a strap so that he could wear it across his back. He smiled his appreciation. It would come in handy on the nights he went out to find it raining. He clasped his hands before him and bowed his head. "Thank you, sensei."

Leonardo reached into his bag and pulled out a model kit for a 1968 Pontiac GTO. His eyes widened in surprise as he flipped the box over to read the specs. "Master, I don't know what to say. How did you know?"

"There is more, my son."

The blue-wearing ninja reached in again to find model paint, glue and brushes. "I don't know what to say. Thank you."

Donatello's bag yielded a boxset of _Mystery Science Theater 3000 _DVDs. He couldn't keep the laughter in. "I had no idea such a thing existed," he exclaimed. "I can hardly wait to watch them. Thank you, Master Splinter." He bowed his head to show his appreciation.

Michaelangelo had received an unlikely gift: books. He could hardly keep the disappointment off of his face as he read one of the titles; _Pride and Prejudice. "_Master, you made me read this stupid story before and it was so boring!"

"You did not read the entire title, my child. You are too impatient to criticize," the rat replied. The teenage turtle reread the title and his eyes widened.

"_Pride and Prejudice and Zombies."_ He looked up. "Zombies? Awesome! Maybe it won't be so bad after all!"

"The main characters are ninjas. Do not forget about the others."

Michaelangelo looked through the other two. The first was the sequel to the first, _Dawn of the Dreadfuls_. The second was even better – a graphic novel based on _Pride and Prejudice and Zombies._ "Thank you so much! I love zombies. It would probably be good if I read something other than comic books, I guess," he admitted and grinned.

"I am glad that you all like what I picked for you. I was not sure that you would," the rat told his turtle sons. Just then they heard footsteps approaching. The turtles drew their weapons and stood before their Master to shield him from the potential threat.

"Whoa, guys, it's just me," April announced as she entered. "Calm down. I tried to call, but you guys don't get the best reception down here sometimes."

They sheathed their weapons and gave a collective sigh. "We could have killed you," Donatello scolded and she laughed.

"Hello to you, too." She turned to Master Splinter. "Welcome back, sensei. I was hoping that I could speak with you in private."

"Of course, Miss O'Neil, but first I believe that the boys would like to show you their new presents," he replied and gestured to the teenage mutant ninja turtles that were gawking at them.

April laughed again. "By all means, show and tell may commence. Could I get some pizza though? I'm starving."

Master Splinter led the reporter to his private room and settled himself on the floor, waving his hand at the cushions before him. She nodded her thanks and sat, crossing her legs. "I'm sorry if I've come too soon," she began, but he silenced her with a look.

"I asked you to come and you have. There is no need to apologize for indulging an old rat," he replied. "Your suggestions for their gifts were well-made. I must admit that I was tempted to go with my first instinct and buy them some new weapons to train with, but when I arrived here I knew that it would not have gone over as well as I hoped."

April shrugged, blushing. "I just figured that they train and fight so much that it might be nice for them to receive something intended for leisure." She covered her mouth with a hand. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to make it sound like I'm criticizing."

"I encourage you to speak freely with me. I am their sensei and they are teenagers; they do not confide in me as they used to." He sighed and focused his gaze on her. "I worry about them. I am not growing any younger and I will not be here for much longer. I am an old rat. They are good students and they will be great masters if they continue their studies, but I cannot help wondering if they will survive without me. They do not know much of the world, though they insist that they want to be more a part of it. I need to know that they will be okay without me."

April spoke slowly as she gathered her thoughts. "It was difficult for them to be alone. However, I think it was a good experience for them. They learned a lot about themselves and each other. At least, that's what I believe. The only times you have not been with them before this were when you were in danger. It was important for you to leave and let them figure things out."

Master Splinter nodded, fighting back unexpected tears. "It is difficult for me to remember that they are teenagers and that they need growing space. Their existence is a miracle and I have wanted to keep them safe from as much as I could."

"Well, fighting crime doesn't exactly have a no-risk guarantee." The reporter shook her head slightly. "They all came to me, separately, to get a grip on their problems while you were gone. I didn't mind the company," she added hastily as the rat attempted to apologize. "I'm happy that they trust me when they're vulnerable. I don't know if I should share what I know with you. They didn't ask me to keep it a secret, but..."

"I will not ask you to reveal your knowledge to me if it makes you uncomfortable. I am glad that they have someone they can go to with their troubles. Will you still be here for them when I leave this mortal life?" Splinter took her hand and squeezed it. "I must know if they will be alone after I am gone."

"Sensei, if I am given the choice I will remain their friend for the rest of my years. Meeting all of you has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life." She smiled. "If I may make several suggestions?"

"Of course."

"Lighten up on them a bit. They need time to goof off. They're still just kids. Don't be too hard on Mikey when he cracks jokes unless he's doing it to be obnoxious. He truly believes that laughter is the best medicine, especially in times of stress. Don't put Leonardo in charge all of the time. He may be a born leader, but every leader needs someone to fall back on once in a while. I think letting the others try out being in command will teach them how difficult it is and lessen his burden." She paused and bit her lip. "As for Raphael, he needs reassurance from you. He is afraid of being alone and he just wants to know that people will be there for him when he needs them. When he becomes angry or irritable, just give him a hug or a pat on the back or something.

"Donatello...he wants to travel. Everyone here seems to assume that as long as he has a computer in front of him, he's happy. It isn't true. He just wants to get out in the fresh air. I've given him a spare key to my farmhouse and he knows what roads to take. There are several conditions, but the gist of the arrangement is that he can go there whenever he needs to get away. So if he says he's going, don't try to stop him. Just trust that he'll be safe."

"You know them better than I do after just a month," Master Splinter said. It was difficult to keep a tinge of disappointment out of his voice. "I feel as though I have failed them."

"Oh, please don't think that!" April pulled the rat into a hug, surprising them both. "You have done an amazing job with the boys and they are wonderful people for it. Teenagers just don't talk to their parents about everything. It's normal. They still need you, just in different ways now."

"You have opened my eyes, Miss O'Neil. How can I ever repay you?"

She grinned. "I'm sure we'll think of something."

Master Splinter looked at his young wards seated before him. "I will not be with you forever, my sons, not in the flesh. My spirit will remain inside each of you, but there will come a time when you won't have me here anymore." The turtles murmured to themselves and he silenced them. "Everything changes to a point where it stops and turns around. If not for change, we would not even exist. I am not going to die any time soon if I can help it. But I need to know that you will be able to survive without me." He paused and looked at each of them before beginning. "Miss O'Neil and I have talked and she will become your guardian if anything happens to me before you reach the age of men."

"Eighteen?" Michaelangelo asked hopefully. His brothers rolled their eyes and tried to keep from snickering.

"Twenty-one is the age I believe you will have reached your independence," the rat replied. "I do not mean to alarm you by having such a serious discussion."

"Master, why are you telling us this now?" Leonardo inquired. "Has something happened?"

"Nothing more serious than coming to terms with my mortality. I don't want you to give up on one another after I am gone. You fight amongst yourselves, as is natural for brothers to do, but I often worry that one day you will not make amends."

"We will always be there for each other," Raphael assured their master.

"Are you certain enough of this that you would take an oath to come to one another in times of need no matter what hardships fall on you or what disagreements come between you?"

One after another the turtles nodded their assent. Master Splinter nodded and had them swear before Gaia, their master, and themselves. "Thank you, my sons," he said as they stood and bowed before him. "You have given me the greatest gift I could have hoped for." They each hugged him before leaving. When he was alone, he said "Now I can die happy."

The four turtles sat atop the ledge of April's building's roof, watching the sun set. "Why do you suppose he made us take an oath to support each other no matter what? We would have done that anyway, right?" Michaelangelo asked and the others agreed that he was correct. He sighed and looked from Leonardo to Raphael to Donatello. "Do any of you feel as though there's something different now?"

"Yeah," Raphael replied. "We're growing up."

_The End_


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